Rooibos Vanilla Chai

This tea was very good. I’ve had it a few different ways, and feel that it is enjoyable most of the ways. As I have stated, I enjoy spiced teas hot, I do not like them once they cool or when they are iced. So, I had all of these teas hot, and drank the whole cup before it cooled to room temperature.

The first way I enjoyed this tea was hot with no milk and no sugar. The spices were prevalent and blend well with the Rooibos for a rich Chai. This way however, I feel the spices overpower the vanilla and it gets lost.

So, I tried it again, hot with no milk and some sugar. Adding the sugar lessened the blow of the spices and allowed for the subtle hint of vanilla to shine through the spice. This was probably my favorite way to enjoy this tea.

Finally, I had the tea hot with milk and sugar. This way was also enjoyable as the sugar softened the spices and the milk helped to meld the spices with the tea to make a smooth spiced infusion.

I especially liked this tea because it was so versatile. You could have the tea a multitude of ways and each one enhanced an attribute of the tea without compromising the tea as a whole. However, as per usual with chai, I cannot enjoy it cooled, nor can I resteep without sacrificing flavors and for no fault of it’s own, the tea loses points for that.

This a good substitute to the Chai black tea from adagio if that’s your primary vendor and you are looking for something that gives you that spiciness but doesn’t keep you awake if you are sensitive to caffeine. Not the greatest out there but still good, specially on chilly nights.

I’d recommend adding more vanilla infused Rooibos if you have some at home to have a better ‘base’ to the flavors.

Took it up to 2 tsps @ 180º for 8 minutes and got a much spicier, tastier tea. Previously the tea had been much weaker than I like and this combination really worked well for me this morning

So I try not to repeat teas when I have ones I haven’t tried, but this ( and the Thai Chai) made me cave. It was beckoning me, even as I eyed my mostly untouched green sampler from Adagio.
Giving into temptation hasn’t never felt better. Once again, after my first couple sips, I’m getting progressively more droopy eyed and sated.
Ahhh, tea, how I love you.

I just realized I’ve technically logged this twice today once at 1 and once now. Therefore! Not ignoring new teas, but a delay from enjoying this one. I feel much better, even as my text books loom.

im steeping this now so i will be logging as i go with this tea :)
so this will be my first Rooibos. i got this in the chai sampler 4 pack. in the tin it smells very nice but there was something off about it but not in a bad way it was one of those smells that reminded me of something as a child, and now that i think about it i remember what it was (ill tell you if your interested so those who are not dont have to read it)
i picked this one because i wanted to try something different i had laying around and im making my fiancee a cup of vanilla so i thought id have a vanilla too but not the same.
the color of this tea is so pretty it makes me wish i brewed it in my clear glass mug and not my christmas mug. i did a taste test like i do with all my teas without sugar and it was a very pleasant flavor just not to the sweetness i usually like but i didnt have to add as much to get it to what i like. the liquor smells just like the “leaves” (is Rooibos leaves?)
the flavor is comforting :) id say this was a good decision on my part.

Sugar: 1Tsp

I made this as an iced tea in two ways (the second was a re-steep). First I made 32oz (4 teaspoons) with 4 teaspoons of rock sugar. (I prefer my iced teas a little sweet). I steeped it for 90 minutes, let it sit out for about 30 minutes, and then put it in the fridge overnight.

The leaves still had an INCREDIBLE aroma (oh my goodness… The smell is amazing) so I thought I might as well give re-steeping a shot. I put about ~20-25oz over the used leaves (without adding more sugar), steeped for 9 minutes, sat at room temperature for about 30-40 minutes, and then put it in the fridge overnight in a separate glass.

Original steep: Very tasty! The clove taste was quite strong, which was good but it meant that I didn’t really taste much else beside the clove. The sugar was a nice addition and I would make it with sugar again.

Re-steep: This was still pretty good (not sweet at all), but again clover was the main taste.

I might buy this one again. While it was good, it wasn’t quite as good as some of my favorites.

I steeped this straight up, just like a regular tea (no milk, no sugar, no lengthened steep time, etc.) and I was pleasantly surprised by a well balanced tea that has a nice spicy kick to it without being overpowering or overly aggressive.

The aroma has a good amount of spice to it, though I’d say that the taste is stronger than the aroma would have you believe. The color is also fantastic, with the rich, golden/caramel color coming through from the rooibos.

The vanilla leads the flavor, with an initial sweetness that’s supplemented by the rooibos base. The spicy flavor hits you a moment later, with a bite on the sides of your tongue, and a woodsy spice towards the back of your mouth. The aftertaste is a peppery spice that lingers until the next sip, and really adds to the experience.

Overall, I would say that this is a really enjoyable tea, and one that I’m going to try different steeping methods with to see if I can bring out even more of the complex flavor.

SIPDOWN!

I finished this one last week in latte form and I already miss it. I think this is my favourite tea to use in latte form. It’s so delicious. I have to get a massive bag soon. I’ll finish off some more teas first then make an order :) And hopefully the dollar will be better at that point.

Super short review as I’m pressed on time but agree with others that the vanilla in this is just not so present. But the tea is fair and the spices definitely cover the rooibos taste. That said, the tea remains a bit bland for my tastes. Next time I’ll try brewing longer – maybe that will solve the problem.

When I opened my sample tin, there were a lot of big chunks of stuff on top, and the rooibos had filtered to the bottom of the tin. I stirred the tea up to distribute the ingredients better before brewing. I made this with frothed milk and honey.
Rich, strong and soothing, with a nice balance of spice. This was great after coming home from a late choir rehearsal.